Sudden Loss
by totheextraordinarykb
Summary: If there's a God, Kate Beckett thinks that wherever he is, he's laughing at her. Based on a prompt from Tumblr.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Alas, I am not Andrew Marlowe or ABC. And that's a damn shame, I tell you. I could do some amazing things if I got my hands on Castle. I don't even need the rights! I just want to sit at the writer's table! But alas, that is not in my future.**

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_**Chapter One:**_

If there's a God, she thinks that wherever he is, he's laughing at her. Well, maybe not laughing, but certainly delighting in his ability to make her so much less than she is, delighting in his ability to knock Kate Beckett to her knees in a single moment.

Tonight, she went home, brushed her teeth, braided her hair, and lifted the lid of her jewelry box. Swiftly, like she always does, she found the latch of her father's watch, unhooked it, placed it in its normal place. Fingers sliding along her neck, she felt for the smooth chain there.

But her fingers felt nothing but the smooth expanse of her skin.

She froze, her heart dropping, before speeding up, racing. Her fingers resumed their search, frantic, as she rushed to a mirror, pulling off her sweater as she went.

Standing there in a bra, she had to face the inevitable truth: her mother's ring? It was gone.

Her body shook, before she ran to the bathroom and lost the contents of her stomach in the toilet. Tears pushing past her closed eyes, forehead against the floor, words fell from her lips, uncontrollable. "Oh god. Oh my god. My god, oh my god. No. This… no this can't be happening. What? Oh god."

She couldn't help as her fingers continued to search in the apex of her breasts, right where the ring had hung for years, a weight she'd become accustomed to.

How had this happened? Her mother…

She was losing her all over again.

Kate Beckett didn't deal with loss well, never had. Even as a child, the loss of her favorite stuffed animal in a taxi had weighed heavily on her, the mourning period long. Her grandmother's death as a young ten year old taught her that you stood stoic at funerals, but cried in the bathroom. And her mother's death – well, she'd never really gotten over that one.

The ring had been a connection. Sitting at her heart, it seemed to beat with her, a reminder that even in her worst moments, her mother was somehow still there. She could toy with it and feel her mother's hug. When she brought it to her lips, her mother's kiss whispered over her cheek. She'd twist it as she looked at a murder board, lost in thought, and sometimes a single word would float into her mind – the word that made all the difference.

Her mother was with her, because of her ring.

Kate wasn't sure she would be able to keep herself together without it there.

"Mom, please. Oh god, please, mom," she pleaded, her heart cold, her body wrecked with tremors, every fiber of her being aching with sorrow.

Her phone buzzed from the bedroom, a low sound she registered unconsciously, but did not recognize as she curled into a fetal position, desperate for comfort, for something solid.

Desperate for her mother.

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**Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm a new writer, still trying to get my footing with fanfiction in general.**

**I'd really appreciate reviews – and please feel free to be critical! It's the only way I'm going to get better. While it's great to know people enjoy my writing, I want to improve for you all. **

**As for the story itself, right now I have three chapters written! It's looking like it should come out to be roughly 5-10 chapters, depending on where my lovely characters take it/whether people keep enjoying it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Alas, I am not Andrew Marlowe or ABC. And that's a damn shame, I tell you. I could do some amazing things if I got my hands on Castle. I don't even need the rights! I just want to sit at the writer's table! But alas, that is not in my future.**

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_**Chapter Two:**_

When the shivers slowed to an occasional one every few minutes, and there was nothing left to be thrown up, Kate finally lifted herself off the floor.

Closing her eyes to avoid the judgmental glares of the mirror, she walked out to the living room, grabbing her blanket and sinking into the couch, wrapping herself tightly. It wasn't quite the feel of a hug, but she had found that it helped keep this emotions at bay, would help keep her from going from despair into a full panic attack.

Breathing deeply, she eyed the weave of the fabric, tracing the single strand of yarn through its ups and down. The repetition kept her sane, and finally she could turn her thoughts to the tragedy that had torn her apart so deeply. Even thinking "Mom" made her cringe, made the tears begin to flow anew, so she thought of it only as "the ring".

When was the last time she had remembered having it? She had put it on that morning, like every other day, she remembered that. Remembered twisting it as she considered the murder board in the precinct, tucking it into her shirt as Castle approached, offering a insane theory that turned out to have just enough of the truth to tip them off to their killer.

They'd sent her in first, to try and sweet-talk him, but he had just made a rather obscene attempt to tear off her clothes. When she'd captured his wrists and identified herself as NYPD, he'd thrown a punch and ran. They had cornered him in an alley, and Esposito stood back purposefully, a slight grin on his face, as Kate tackled him. The move wasn't strictly necessary, but damn! It had made her feel better.

Had she had the ring after that? She couldn't remember.

If that asshole had made her lose the ring… She swore, a "fuck", loud, startling herself. It had been when he'd tried to rip her shirt off. Buttons had clattered all around them; she would have never noticed the sound of the ring.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck."

Well, she knew where it happened. Not that it did any good – the ring would either be in evidence now, with almost no chance of the city releasing it to her, the paperwork so backed up down there – _she could steal it_, she thought – or still on the streets. But in Harlem where they'd been? A ring like that would have been picked up in moments. It wouldn't still be there.

Unless it was.

She glanced at the clock. 3 am. Late – too late to make a sane trip down to Harlem. Not for a white woman, not for a cop.

She wasn't sane though, not when it came to her mother's ring.

Hurried, a newfound purpose, a plan was formed. Getting up, she pulled on a long sleeved shirt, slightly baggy, concealed her badge and weapon beneath it. Jeans and boots completed the outfit.

Because she's not a complete idiot, she grabbed her cell phone – a New Yorker habit, never going anywhere without a life line – and $20 and her MetroCard.

Harlem. Harlem? In the back of her mind, a voice was protesting, incredulous, warning stories of detectives who'd been attacked working alone. They didn't send teams into trouble areas like that without a partner, even in the light of day.

She needed the ring. She needed her mother. Safety be damned, Kate Beckett was going to get her mother's ring back.

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**Author's Note: Woot for chapter two! I know it's been really Beckett-centric so far. I'm hoping I'm capturing her voice well…**

**Next chapter, Castle will make an appearance. ;)**

**As always, please please leave reviews – and especially critical ones. I could really use help with whether you feel I'm capturing the characters appropriately. Tips on writing better are always appreciated as well, my dear readers.**

**Alright adios, chiquitos! Enjoy.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Alas, I am not Andrew Marlowe or ABC. And that's a damn shame, I tell you. I could do some amazing things if I got my hands on Castle. (HAHA lies.) I don't even need the rights! I just want to sit at the writer's table! (This is the truth. I REALLY want to be a writer, or even a writer's assistant. Not because I'm any good at it, but because IT'S SO COOL.) But alas, that is not in my future.**

**Enjoy Chapter Three! Don't forget to review, if you'd like!**

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_**Chapter Three:**_

Castle sighed. He'd been trying to get in contact with Kate for the last hour, a pressing question for his latest Nikki Heat novel. They had just closed a case that would be perfect for the B-storyline, but he didn't understand the motivation behind the perp's actions. And without understanding why the seemingly rather straight-edged man with no priors had snapped and killed a woman, simply for turning him down, he could not write. Every time his fingers landed on the page, the words they typed were wrong, making Rick more frustrated with every attempt. He needed the detective.

And so he'd called Kate. He knew she was awake, because she had texted him when she got home, and his first call was only ten minutes later, but there was no answer. Rick thought to himself that perhaps he shouldn't know her sleeping schedule so well, that perhaps he needed to pull back and let her be. But the writer in him protested. It wasn't like he was trying to memorize Kate's schedule; he was memorizing Nikki's schedule. He knew the words were a lie - it was Kate, it was always Kate – but he pushed away the thought.

The clock read three. Rubbing his eyes, he considered his options: sleep, or keep writing, without a real understanding for his character. He could fill it in tomorrow.

Ugh. He couldn't write when he didn't understand something; it just wouldn't work. Impulsively, he pushed two on his speed dial; one was Alexis, the second Kate. After ringing multiple times, it rolled to voicemail again.

Something wasn't right. It wasn't unusual for Kate to miss a call or two, or even to punish him by pressing ignore. But – he checked his phone logs – seven missed calls? Kate was on call tonight. There was no way she'd miss that many, or ignore him that frequently, not unless something was wrong.

He wanted to call the precinct to have someone check up on Kate. He thought about calling Esposito or Ryan and having one of them call her.

Leaning back, Rick has to accept the truth: he doesn't have any right. They're not a couple, even if they're both madly in love with each other.

He just needs to know she's okay.

After scribbling a note to Alexis and his mother, notifying them he's out on a case, the front door shuts behind an anxious Castle.

He wants her to be okay.

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**Author's Note: And now Castle's joining in on the fun! Sorry it's so short guys, but I really just needed this chapter to be a filler, but it didn't seem logical to attach it to the previous chapter or the next one. I tried to fill it out some (it might show) in response to some awesome feedback, but the truth was it was the length it was. Richard Castle was not going to let me write more, the troublesome bastard. Haha.**

**Reviews – especially your most critical ones – are more appreciated than you probably realize. Thank you dearly for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far! Stay tuned. Chapter 4 has been written, as has half of Chapter 5, but I'm holding them hostage for some revisions before I release them. ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Alas, I am not Andrew Marlowe or ABC. And that's a damn shame, I tell you. I could do some amazing things if I got my hands on Castle. I don't even need the rights! I just want to sit at the writer's table! But alas, that is not in my future.**

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_**Chapter Four:**_

Kate Beckett has a mission. Her mind has adopted the tunnel vision of determination that made her such a good student and then detective. When Kate was in the zone, the world fell away, stripped to the very minimal, just the details of the case in front of her.

Quickly, efficiently, she locked her front door, the motion automatic. In her mind, she was calculating the quickest way to the crime scene. By foot? No, that will take too long, and it'll require walking straight through prostitution central. On the subway? The express stopped running this late at night; she'd have to go on the local. Not the safest, but probably the quickest. A cab? No, it would be too expensive, and getting out of a cab too conspicuous. A bus? Kate Beckett had lived in NYC all her life, and she still hated the bus system. Given that she doesn't know the most direct lines there, it would require two transfers.

All right, she thought as she exited the elevator, the subway it is. Hands shoved inside her coat, she fingered the MetroCard there, knowing she'll be pulling it out in a block.

Pushing open the lobby doors, her head was lost in calculations of the radius she should search. A ring, lost in a scuffle. Could it fly five meters away? What if someone hit it with their shoes as they were walking around? Should the search be expanded to ten, twenty meters?

Without meaning to, she ran straight into a tall, large body. She pulled back, apologies on her lips even as her hand rests on her gun, ready to react. It was, after all, after three am in NYC. Her mother had taught her the saying, "Nothing good ever happens after two am", and Kate lived by the cautionary words.

When her eyes met the man's though, she dropped her tensed stance out of surprise. "Castle? What are you doing here?"

Richard Castle took one look at the woman in front of him and alarm bells started ringing in his head. If he didn't know Kate Beckett, she would be able to pass him without a second glance. But his writer's eyes carefully took in the details that would escape his notice if he wasn't madly in love with Kate: her hand, having rested on her weapon; the slight puffiness of her eyes; the day-old jeans she's wearing; the lack of her father's watch on her arm. When his eyes met hers, he noted the hint of frenzy behind the steel determination he's so used to seeing.

"Kate? Kate, what's wrong? What's happening?" She turned from him, glancing at the subway entrance behind him, and Rick knew in a flash that whatever she's up to, it's not safe. It's Kate, chasing down ghosts, running headfast into danger, putting his heart in danger. "Kate, what are you planning?" His voice pleaded, begging her to let him in.

Her hand travelled absentmindedly to the badge on her waist, feeling the gold emblem through her shirt. He knew the action was a source of comfort to her, since it represented the fact she's pursuing the truth every day of her life. Her eyes met his, her guard up. "I realized I didn't finish all my paperwork. Figured, since I'm still running high on energy, I might as well head to the precinct and fill it out. I'm on call anyway; I'll probably end up there one way or another."

The lie stung. His heart objected to the insult. Why doesn't she trust him? Four years he's been here. Four freaking years, he's loved her. He can't live without her. He doesn't know how to, especially without knowing the lines of her body, the secrets of her heart.

But here she stood, her wall up, still not letting him in.

They stood only inches apart, totally still. Anyone watching would think they were sharing a heartfelt goodbye, a couple radiating love, only seconds from kissing. Instead, they stood at an impasse, each waiting for the other to give in. Kate wished that Rick would accept the secret, would go home, would let her be. Rick waited for Kate to let him in, to share her secret.

Both refused to speak.

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**Author's Note: As I had hoped, I managed to get Chapter Four posted today! I'm having major issues keeping this all in the same tense, so this may have some grammatically errors.**

**As always, please please leave reviews – and especially critical ones. I can't get better without your help!**

**All right! Adios, chiquitos! Enjoy this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I've been neglecting this fanfiction a bit in favor of my other two, but I wanted to make sure I gave you guys an update! Thanks for reading, and as always, the characters do not belong to me.

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_**Chapter Five:**_

The stalemate lasted for a moment longer, before Kate finally made to walk around Castle to the subway entrance. She could not wait a moment longer; the empty spot on her chest where her mother's ring should be hanging was torturing her.

But before she could get by, Castle's arm shot out and blocked her past. Shooting a glare at Castle, she snapped out, "What is it, Castle?"

He gave her a look, laced with disappointment and disappointment. "Come on, Kate. Let me in. What's really going on?"

Kate's mind raced, calculating the possible explanations she could give that would get Castle off of her back, but she knew the truth. Castle knew her too well, and she was too emotionally raw to pull off a true lie. And if she was really honest with herself, she realized she didn't want to hold this burden herself.

But every minute that passed increased the possibility someone would pick up her mother's ring, so she needed to move, now.

She grabbed Castle's arm that was still stretched in front of her – not his hand, that was too personal – and pulled him with her as she headed for the subway. As her other hand fished for her MetroCard, she spoke as they descended the stairs, "Okay, Castle. I'll tell you what's really going on, but we need to get going, okay? Just respect the fact I need us to move, alright?" She swiped the card in the turntable, pushing Castle through, before swiping a second time, mentally noting the amount left in the card.

She set off at a brisk pace – 6 train, uptown – and descended one, two levels of stairs before coming to a halt. She hadn't bothered looking back to see if Castle was following; she knew he was, but was probably still trying to calculate where they were going.

Looking up, she read the electronic notice. Three minutes to arrival, okay, that means it'll be about sixteen minutes to their arrival at 125th Street. She could not help the anxious bounce in her foot as she looked up the tunnel, willing the train to arrive more quickly.

Castle stood a meter away, watching the detective as she paced and stared up the tunnel. His mind raced with possibilities of what could have gotten the normally calm woman so riled. Was she going after her mother's killers again? Had her father called her drunk, requesting her help?

Suddenly needing to offer her comfort, he spoke soothingly. "Kate…" When she turned, he saw the unshed tears shining in her eyes.

She spoke, at long last. "So do you remember our case today?" Castle nodded, suddenly puzzled. Uptown… Harlem… What was going on? "So you know how I had to take down that bastard in the alley?" He flinched a bit at the anger behind her words. Kate Beckett never looked favorably upon any of the criminals she captured, but very rarely did she talk of them with this level of personal hatred.

Kate sighed, composing herself. She wasn't sure she'd be able to force out the words. "I got home tonight, was getting ready for bed." Her fingers trailed to her neck, and she watched Rick's eyes go wide with understanding, as he whispered, "No…"

"And it wasn't there." Her heart twisted, and she turned away from him once more to look down the tunnel, needing the time to recover her composure. It had been just as painful to recount the experience to him as it had been to live it once. She could not face the sympathy.

She heard his footfalls behind her, pausing just behind her back. After a moment, his arms wrapped around her, and unconsciously she sank into them, welcoming his comfort.

He leaned into her, his face by her ears, as he said, "I'm sorry, Kate. I'm so sorry." She closed her eyes, controlled her breathing. She needed the stupid feelings to go away – she needed to be strong.

When the train rushed into the station a minute later, she had recovered enough to disentangle herself from his arms. She sat in the subway car, noting the only other occupants were an elderly man, about 75, and a younger college-aged brunette girl, reading a novel.

Castle loved how Kate managed a small, almost wistful smile when she noticed the girl, as though she could see herself, ten years ago. He had that pain that shot through his gut every time he remembered that there would be so much of her life that he could never really know. He wanted to have lived every moment of her life with her.

When the doors closed, he sat next to her, before speaking. "So where exactly are we going? Please tell me you're not thinking of heading back to the crime scene." Her guilty look, full of sorrow, told him everything he needed to know. "Come on, Kate! You can't honestly be that stupid." She flinched at the choice of words, and he silently scolded himself. It was a stupid decision to head to Harlem at four am, especially given that she was a prime target: a sophisticated white woman. No wonder she hadn't wanted to tell him the truth of her destination.

But this was her mother. Kate was not trying to run headfirst into danger – she was trying to run to her mother, trying to get her back. She needed that ring. He could try to understand that. "Kate, at least call the precinct and get backup."

"I can't. I don't have any reason to drag a uniform to a scene at 4 am. Unfortunately, losing a ring is not considered an emergency." She paused, as though considering the wisdom of her next words. "Besides, I have back-up." Castle didn't understand, and opened his mouth to ask her what she meant. "I have you."

She left her hand outstretched her knee, an invitation, and Castle took it, closing his hand around hers. They sat there silently, swaying slightly with the motion of the train as they waited for the stop at 125th Street. They would do this together; there was no way she was doing this alone.

If she needed a partner, he would be there. He would do anything for her, even walk headfirst into the most dangerous section of New York City.

He'd follow her to the ends of the earth and back without a second thought. He was, now and forever more, her partner.

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_Author's Note: Thanks for reading! As always, reviews are MUCH appreciated. I'm getting better at writing longer chapters too, yay! I blame the last chapter of "Winter Colds" and both chapters of "Ancient, Modern, or Sexual?" for that. :)_

_I actually do have a question for my readers! In this story, I switch between seeing more of Castle's thoughts or Kate's thoughts... would it be helpful to see a line break between those switches or are the transitions seamless enough that the lines aren't necessary?_

_THANK YOUUUUUU! :D :D You guys are the best. Thanks for sticking with me._


	6. Chapter 6

_****Disclaimer: As always, I am not Andrew Marlowe or ABC. SIGH. This is sad._

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_**Chapter Six:**_

As they exit the subway station, Kate's hand found its way to her gun. Its weight was reassuring, even as the streetlights flickered ominously. She was safe, was calm, even if a bit overly cautious, scanning the shadows for activity before setting a brisk pace towards the crime scene.

Castle was close behind her; she could feel his breath on her neck, and his body bumped hers every now and then. He was nervous; the anxiety rose from his body, heavy. Kate knew that just as she could sense his fear, so could every criminal in the area. She half scowled, annoyed that she found herself burdened with the writer, before realizing he was her partner, that he didn't need to be there, but because she was, he would be too.

She extended her free hand behind her and found his hand, gave it a quick squeeze before holding it until his fear began to dissipate. Satisfied, she dropped it, and realized they were now only a block away.

Flicking on a flashlight, she began to cast it onto the sidewalk. In reality, she didn't expect the ring to be out this far, but she wasn't willing to do this halfway. Beside her, a thin light also began searching the sidewalk – Castle had flipped on his iPhone flashlight app. It was hardly worth anything, but she was grateful for the second pair of eyes, and for the way his sleeve disguised the expensive product.

They settled into a pattern: she swept left to right as Castle shined his beam over the same area from right to left. Every four or so sweeps, they would pause as Kate surveyed the scene, making sure it remained safe – or as safe as it could possibly be. In this way, they covered the final block to the alley.

Castle looked to the woman next to him, as she breathed deeply, looking into the darkness. He imagined that every time she encountered an alley, regardless of where it was, that it reminded her of that faithful night eleven years ago, when her mother was murdered. His hand lifted of its own accord, rubbed her back, and she turned to him, barely managing a smile, before turning into the darkness, flashlight shining in front of her.

She briskly covered the area, making sure there was no activity, before heading back to Castle. "Clear." And he knew they'd settle back into the same routine, so he searched, flashlight beam extending from right to left.

What would happen if they didn't find her ring? He watched as she grew increasingly agitated as they crossed the alley, the far wall coming closer and closer. She broke their pattern, searched for minutes around where she tackled the perp.

This will destroy her.

Castle searched for a way to make this okay if they were unsuccessful. Plots floated through his head, and he would grab one, follow it to its conclusion, before tossing it aside, displeased with the ending. The next, though, proved just as startling – and he was forced to acknowledge the truth – there was no happy ending. Kate needed something of her mother's, and for the ring to be taken as suddenly as her mother… it was a metaphor that would ruin her.

Therefore, they needed to find the ring. He began looking anew, fervor in his step, aware of the magnitude of his task. It wasn't about finding a ring – it was about saving Kate Beckett.

It wasn't until hours later, as the sun began its rise over Manhattan, that Kate slid down a wall of the alley, numb but forced to acknowledge the truth. Her mother's ring was gone.

Forever.

And the tears began to fall, silently.

Fucking alleys, she thought.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her into his body, and she relented for a minute, enjoying the solidness of him. It was a solidness that her mother could no longer be – not as a person, not as a ring – but if she closed her eyes, her mother's voice flickered through her mind, "He's good for you, Katie. He's what you've been looking for, your solid ground."

But Kate only allowed herself a moment of the indulgence, before pulling away and brushing the tears from her face, standing up and offering a hand to Castle. "Come on, Castle. No sense in staying here. It's gone. My mother's ring is gone." She was proud of the way her voice did not crack, did not waver, as she announced the loss.

They set out to the subway stop, and Kate couldn't help that she continued to look at the ground, the slightest hope still trickling through her veins. But four blocks away, at the subway stop at 125th Street, she was forced to acknowledge complete and utter defeat.

She began descending the stairs, before realizing Castle was still at the top, doing something on his phone. "Come on, Castle," she called, and he hurriedly finished before rushing down the steps to her. "What was so important that it couldn't wait?" she asked, swiping her MetroCard for him, and then for her.

"Alexis," he called, and she was suddenly guilty. Nothing had happened, but what if something had happened? She had pulled him into danger, unprotected, unarmed, for entirely selfish reasons, and she could have forced Alexis to walk down an alley just as she had. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she admonished herself silently. You're so stupid.

Lost in thought, she did not notice Castle's eyes on her, observing. He was trying to figure out how to describe this – her back remained upright, rigid. Was it denial that coursed through her veins? No, she had acknowledged the loss, strongly, and the tears proved that. But it wasn't sorrow or grief – she would still be in that alley, sitting behind the crate, if it were. Not anger, not frustration.

Kate Beckett was still a mystery to him. Sometimes, he wished he could snap his fingers, replace her with Nikki. He understood Nikki. He would know what to say, how to act for her. But Kate… He didn't know what to say next, what to do for her, how to help.

He occupied the ride with trying to identify the emotions flickering across her face: he found guilt at one point, which he thought was interesting, and apathy at another. There was sorrow, but it was only allowed for a moment before it subsided. It was a light show of sorts, emotions shining for a moment before dying away to display a new one.

He was knocked out of his thoughts by the announcement of the conductor – they were arriving at Kate's station. As she stood, he did so too, without thought. She looked at him with surprised when they both disembarked, but she couldn't possibly think he was going to let her go home alone right now, could she? Oh – she had. Well, they were going to be back together at the precinct in two hours; they might as well spend those two together.

"Castle, what are you doing?" Kate asked, curious as to why her shadow was following her to her building. She only had two more hours before she had to be entirely composed for work, and she needed the privacy so that she could let go, without a thought, without a care.

"I am not leaving you alone. Besides, what's the point? We'll be back together in two hours; it's not long enough for a nap anyways." She considered him, but knew that look of determination in his eyes. He would not relent.

Sighing, she shrugged, saying, "Okay." They entered the building. Kate considered; now she knew her walls would be perfectly constructed by work, she'd have to keep them up for the next two hours too.

But her hands shook slightly as she went to unlock the door, and Castle reached out and grabbed her keys from her, taking over the task.

Kate closed her eyes, steeling herself for a moment, getting ready for the rest of the day. Her mother's face floated in front of her closed eyelids, and she was conscious of the weight absent from her neck. Her eyes opened quickly.

Damn it.

At work, it would be easier to control. Throwing herself head first into work always was a good distraction. But there was no distraction in her apartment.

She crossed over the threshold, determined. She would survive this.

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_Author's Note: Reviews, as always, are very appreciated! I'm planning on probably having two more chapters to this story, but who knows? Sometimes these characters get a mind of their own. )_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: in no way affiliated with Castle. SIGH._

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_**Chapter Seven:**_

Castle checked his phone for the third time in as many minutes, and swore inwardly at its blank screen. Before descending into the subway, he had sent a quick text to both Esposito and Ryan, asking them to go to work early and check the evidence catalog for a ring. Castle did not need to explain; they would understand the importance of such a text, and he knew they would follow his suggestion without complaint. Nevertheless, there was not much of a chance that the two men would find anything worthwhile, so when Kate had asked him what he was doing, he lied and said he had contacted Alexis.

But now, as he watched Kate's hands shake as she went through the motions of making a pot of coffee, he found himself desperately pleading to a God he wasn't sure he believed in. _If only she could get the ring back_, he thought, _if only she could be whole again…_ The plea was open-ended, because Castle knew he would do anything for her.

_I love her,_ he thought. _Please don't break her heart._

Sliding off the kitchen stool, he circled round the island, sliding his hand over Kate's. "Come on, let me do the work, okay?" She just nodded, before leaning against the counter and working him work. He deftly prepared the pot – _how had he learned she kept her coffee beans there?_ – but the motions blurred into each other as Kate got lost in a memory of watching her mother prepare the morning coffee.

As a high schooler, Kate used to sit at their kitchen table, frantically reading the one chapter of reading she inevitably left to the morning before school. While she read, Johanna prepared the family's second pot of the day. Just before Kate would whisk out the door to catch the subway to school, a travel mug would be ready; payment was a kiss on the check and a quick, "I love you, Mom!"

The memory was bittersweet, but it brought a smile to Kate's face, before it fell as the present slammed back into focus. Her hand reaching for the comfort of the necklace, she received nothing. Castle shot a concerned look her way, and she forced her hand down, her face into an emotionless mask.

A knock on the door alarmed them both, but Castle recovered more quickly, heading to the door. Kate whispered, "Castle! Behind me." A visitor at six am never boded well. She shuffled to the door, looked through the peek hole.

"Esposito?" she asked as she pulled open the door.

"Hey boss," Ryan chimed up from further in the hallway.

"Uh, what are you guys doing here?" she asked, as both men entered the apartment. They seemed unsurprised by Castle's presence, but Kate was certain she'd be teased later that day.

Esposito wordlessly pulled his hand out of his pocket, holding an evidence package out in front of him.

A ring was inside.

Her mother's ring.

She swallowed hard against the emotion rushing forward, and reached forward to take the package from Esposito. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted Ryan and Castle's heads bent towards each other, whispering lightly, but she could not pay attention to anything but the ring in her hands.

Tilting the package, the ring spilled onto her palm. She left it there for a moment, before sliding it onto her finger. It would remain there, where she could be certain of it, until she could get a chain she was certain could withstand any perp. Her finger twisted the ring around and around, as though uncertain that it was real, but after the fifth twist, Kate smiled.

It was really back.

All three men were standing in front of her then, and she couldn't help the giggle that escaped her throat. The sound was embarrassingly girly, but the joy pure. "Thank you." She cleared her throat, searching for a more appropriate show of gratitude, but she was unable to speak anything else. "Thank you." Her gaze fell to her ring, before she made contact with each one of her boys.

Esposito looked back, his back proud, his eyes filled with respect. Kate had earned his respect as a strong female superior, but he was grateful for the opportunity to help her. Ryan smiled, Irish eyes twinkling. Joy was his forte; he wanted to spread smiles to all his favorite people.

And Castle? He had tears in his eyes, and Kate noticed him look to the ceiling for a moment and mouth "thank you." When he felt her eyes on him, he looked at her, a smile on his face. She knew he had to be somehow responsible for the discovery of her mother's ring. For a pause, she contemplated how to properly thank him, but everything seemed too little.

With a grin, she threw open her arms and wrapped them around him in a hug. It was, she realized, the perfect thank you, as he paused for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her, as though they naturally belonged there.

She noticed as Ryan and Esposito nudged each other, and shot them both a glare. They quickly stopped, but still smiled at the pair, and she swore Esposito even winked at Castle.

They stayed like that for a minute, before the coffee pot rang, announcing its completion. Pulling away, she shuffled into the kitchen. For a moment, she stood before the pot, smiling at the ring, before reaching to retrieve four coffee mugs. Sliding them across the island to the boys, she pulled out the pot, handing it first to Esposito, and grabbed a cartoon of milk from the fridge.

"Alright, Castle," she said as she poured her cup. "We've got an hour. So what's the story?"

He looked at her for a moment, before smiling. "So, when we were in the alley, I had this BRILLIANT thought, as I always do…"

"Right," Esposito countered, "Because you're just a certifiable genius."

"According to Mensa, I am quite talented. Now, never mind you. Anyway, as I was saying, I brilliantly deduced…" he recounted the tale, with a number of exaggerations. The boys frequently interjected to make fun of each other, but Kate stayed silent, smiling all the while, laughing at their antics.

She was incredibly lucky to have this family, she realized, and the thought was as comforting as the ring sparkling on her finger.

* * *

_Author's Note: Well, it's the end of the road! Thank you guys so much for the positive comments and reviews; I so appreciate it. :)_

_I actually hate this chapter, but I tried out multiple endings, and this felt the most genuine to the story arc as a whole, as well as to the show's characters. At some point, I'd ideally like to come back and revise it, but for now, I wanted to post an ending rather than leaving this story in hiatus._

_I hope you will enjoy it more than I do._

_As always, reviews are much appreciated. Please also check out my other stories if you like... I promise they are ALL better than this chapter. Honestly._

_(I hate this chapter.)_


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